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U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

US
gov defenseFounded 2015
United States
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The Defense Innovation Unit selected Motiv Space Systems in 2022 to prototype satellite-servicing hardware for the Modularity for Space Systems program.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 27, 2024On-orbit servicing mission planned for military satellite in 2025

The DIU contract supports the Sinequone project, which aims to deliver cost-effective, responsive access to xGEO through launch and orbital transfer services.

Mentioned as: DIUTechnical ProductMar 22, 2024Firefly Aerospace Selected by Defense Innovation Unit to Demonstrate Launch and On-Orbit Services

Firefly Aerospace signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit to conduct a trade study on Firefly’s capabilities to rapidly launch Elytra vehicles and support missions beyond geosynchronous orbit (xGEO).

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductMar 22, 2024Firefly Aerospace Selected by Defense Innovation Unit to Demonstrate Launch and On-Orbit Services

The DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contracted with Orbit Fab for the first in-space fuel sale in GEO and selected Orbit Fab’s RAFTI fueling port and GRIP for its RAPIDS Refueling and Fuel Depot initiative.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 22, 2024Orbit Fab's RAFTI Fueling Port Becomes First Flight-Qualified Interface for In-Space Refueling

DIU awarded Firefly Aerospace a study contract that could lead to as many as two flight demonstration missions in cislunar space.

Mentioned as: DIUOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

In response to the Sinequone solicitation in 2022, DIU received 112 solution briefs from 94 companies.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

The DIU project with Firefly follows another DIU space logistics project announced on 2024-03-20.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

The DIU contract with Firefly supports the Sinequone project that aims to deliver cost-effective, responsive access to xGEO through both launch and orbital transfer services.

Mentioned as: DIUTechnical ProductMar 21, 2024Firefly Aerospace Selected to Demonstrate Launch and On-Orbit Services for U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

The DIU study contract supports the Sinequone project, which aims to deliver cost-effective, responsive access to cislunar space through launch and orbital transfer services.

Mentioned as: DIUTechnical ProductMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

Under the DIU contract, after the initial study Firefly Aerospace would deliver three to six orbital vehicles for one or more launches to orbits in cislunar space with the goal of reducing delivery time for each subsequent mission.

Mentioned as: diuTechnical ProductMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

On 2024-03-21 Firefly Aerospace signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit to conduct a trade study on Firefly’s capabilities to rapidly launch Elytra vehicles and support missions beyond Geosynchronous Orbit (xGEO).

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024Firefly Aerospace Selected to Demonstrate Launch and On-Orbit Services for U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

The Defense Innovation Unit receives an increase of $842,000,000 in the fiscal year 2024 defense budget.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductMar 21, 2024Lawmakers cut $1 billion from Space Force’s 2024 budget request

The Defense Innovation Unit was established in 2015 in Silicon Valley to serve as a bridge between the Department of Defense and the commercial technology sector.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 21, 2024Lawmakers cut $1 billion from Space Force’s 2024 budget request

The Defense Innovation Unit signed an agreement with Firefly Aerospace on 2024-03-21 to study the potential use of Firefly’s Elytra orbital vehicle for missions beyond geosynchronous Earth orbit.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

DIU was established in 2015 and acts as a bridge between the Department of Defense and the commercial technology sector.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 21, 2024DoD innovation unit to assess Firefly vehicle for missions beyond Earth orbit

The Defense Innovation Unit is working with three companies to provide logistics services enabling low-cost, responsive access to GEO and other exotic orbits beyond LEO.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024Companies selected for DIU Orbital Logistics Vehicle Project moving forward with prototypes

The Defense Innovation Unit partnered with the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s Assured Access to Space Mission Manifest Office to manifest the Dark-Sky-1 mission to fly on a National Security Space Launch.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 21, 2024Companies selected for DIU Orbital Logistics Vehicle Project moving forward with prototypes

The Defense Innovation Unit was established in 2015 to act as a bridge between the Department of Defense and the commercial technology sector.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 20, 2024Defense Innovation Unit awards three contracts for space logistics technologies

The three DIU-funded projects were awarded to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, and Spacebilt.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralMar 20, 2024Defense Innovation Unit awards three contracts for space logistics technologies

The Defense Innovation Unit funded three projects on 2024-03-20 to explore space infrastructure supporting military operations beyond low Earth orbit.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipMar 20, 2024Defense Innovation Unit awards three contracts for space logistics technologies
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